– in the House of Commons at on 20 March 1935.
Mr James de Rothschild
, Isle of Ely
asked the Minister of Agriculture the numbers of the salaried staffs of the Pig, Bacon, Milk, and Potato Marketing Boards, with the total salaries paid in each case?
Mr Walter Elliot
, Glasgow Kelvingrove
I regret that I have not the information desired by the hon. Member.
Mr James de Rothschild
, Isle of Ely
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that some of these boards are administering public funds and carrying out the policy of the Government? That being so, is it not within the purview of the Minister of Agriculture and of this House to know these facts?
Mr Walter Elliot
, Glasgow Kelvingrove
No, Sir. Certainly not.
Sir Percy Harris
, Bethnal Green South West
Will the right hon. Gentleman take the trouble to find out these figures?
Mr Walter Elliot
, Glasgow Kelvingrove
No, Sir. It is quite wrong for me to communicate with these boards and ask for details of the salaries of their staffs.
Mr John Wilmot
, Fulham East
Is it not the case that these boards derive their funds as a result of Statutes passed by this House, and, in those circumstances, is it not proper for the right hon. Gentleman to ask for these particulars?
Mr Walter Elliot
, Glasgow Kelvingrove
The hon. Member is under an entire misapprehension. These boards operate under Statutes passed by this House, but if a return is to be called for of every company operating under Statutes passed by this House, the Table of the House would not be big enough to accommodate them.
Mr James de Rothschild
, Isle of Ely
Are not these boards administering public funds, and therefore are we not entitled to ask for these particulars?
Mr Walter Elliot
, Glasgow Kelvingrove
I do not know of any case in which a board is administering public funds except the Milk Board, where a grant is given, and which is operated by a committee entirely on voluntary lines.
Mr Wilfred Paling
, Wentworth
Are not these boards set up as the direct outcome of Government policy, and are we not entitled to know how many people are being employed?
Lieut-Colonel Sir Arthur Heneage
, Louth Borough
Would it not also be wise to ask how many employés there are in the trade unions which also distribute public funds?
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
